


Sins and Rubble

by agentsimmons



Series: Mutants and Monsters [8]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom, X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angst, Bruce Banner Angst, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Gen, General Ross Is The Reason Bruce Banner Can't Have Nice Things, Kid Fic, Kid Raven | Mystique, Non-Linear Narrative, Parent Bruce Banner, Pre-Slash, Protective Bruce Banner, Protective Hulk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-05 09:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6698746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <b>This is set very shortly after <i>The Calm Before</i> and both that entry and this take place parallel with the events of the second chapter (well, first technically since the first is the prologue) of <i>Iron Mutant</i>.</b>
</p>
    </blockquote>





	Sins and Rubble

**Author's Note:**

> **This is set very shortly after _The Calm Before_ and both that entry and this take place parallel with the events of the second chapter (well, first technically since the first is the prologue) of _Iron Mutant_.**

Bruce wakes up disoriented as he often does after an incident and he waits for the pieces of the puzzle to start clicking into place, making up the picture in his mind of what happened.

The first thing he becomes aware of is the familiar feeling resting against his chest. He looks down as he slowly sits up and sees Raven asleep, secure in his arms. To his surprise her skin is green, the same green he knows from footage and photos that the Other Guy is. He doesn't know what to do with that any more than he knows what to do with the fact that she's safe in spite of General Ross' attack.

After the realization that Raven is safe settles in Bruce's first instinct is to hold his daughter close and breathe a sigh of relief. The only explanation there can be is that during the attack Hulk had saved her. He closes his eyes and looks inward, reaching for the answers.

"Thank you," he mutters, swallowing his lingering distrust of the Other Guy for now at least. "Thank you for saving her," he says, descending deeper into that part of his mind where he can sense the monstrous ID even if he's never heard any response more than a rumble of varying emotion – usually displeasure unsurprisingly.

Then he opens his eyes in shock as the rest of the destruction is suddenly at the forefront of his mind. He can see the explosions and hear the screams. He sees flashes of fire and soldiers and _weapons_. He can see a familiar name on a missile outside his little home shortly before his control was lost entirely.

He can hear Raven's mother yelling frantically, crying, begging. _"Raven! Leave me! Save Raven!"_ Their daughter had been with her aunt, fortuitously located away from the initial attack. Just far enough away that he'd been able to get to her, as himself or Hulk he can't even remember. He only knows that he wouldn't have anything left fighting for if it had been too late, if anything had happened to her.

He holds her close again, trying to hold on to the one thing that matters. But his head throbs and heart aches in anguish for all of the people – _the friends_ – that had not been saved. He chokes on the tears that practically fill up his lungs in an effort to drown him in the anger, the sorrow, _the guilt._

He shuts his eyes tight as if doing so can somehow block out the death, the pain, the brokenness. He weeps openly for all of the people lost because they'd let him get close. He mourns for Raven's mother, the one she'll never know now. He cries for the blood on his hands and feels the balance tip entirely toward rage.

Suddenly Raven stirs in his arms, a few discomforted noises growing into an outright cry as she awakens. The balance tips back toward that middling place inside of him as Bruce opens his eyes and focuses on his daughter.

"It's okay," he says on instinct, but then he realizes he's not sure if it is. After all, he's alone and barely clothed who knows where and has a little girl not even yet a year old to care for. "I'm so sorry, Raven," he apologizes as he rocks her and looks around finally to get a better idea of their surroundings. He then looks down at her and feels tears brim in his eyes again at the sight of hers. "Don't worry, baby," he says as soothingly as he can. "Daddy's got you. It's just you and me now, but daddy's got you."

Once she's calm again Bruce begins the task of getting them both somewhere safer. As he treks with Raven in his arms he knows he'll face a decision when he does reach that somewhere.

What kind of life is it for his daughter to run with him from a psychotic General hellbent on destroying his life? Keeping her safe could very well mean giving her up, finding someone to take her in.

But she's unique and the world doesn't seem to like unique. What will happen if someone decides she's a monster just like him, decides she isn't worth loving the way he loves her? How can he take that chance?

By the time he reaches civilization again his decision is made. He looks down at his beautiful, currently blue, daughter and feels tears prickle his eyes again. "I can't," he whispers brokenly and drops his head. "I can't leave you, baby," he says

He can't let her go, not only for the risk to her but to his heart also. He's lost so much in his life and now so many have lost their own all because he'd given into the temptation of normalcy. Still if loving Raven is a sin he can't help but go on sinning. He can't help but selfishly keep her close. He should have walked away when he'd had the chance. Now he's in too deep and simply can't let her go.

Bruce feels Raven's tiny hands kneading at his cheeks as she babbles incoherently save for the distinguishable "dada" at the beginning. He opens his eyes and smiles at her through the tears because he can tell by her tone and expression she knows he's sad and is trying to comfort him. Does she even know what she's lost? What will the coming days be like when her little mind begins to process the trauma? God, how could he even think to abandon her too when she's already just lost _everything_?

He reaches for one of her hands and brings it to his lips, kissing her tiny fingers before nuzzling his forehead against hers. She giggles softly, a sound of unconditional love. He won't take it for granted.

Bruce only has one choice that he can see. She'll never be safe with him as long as he has the curse of the Other Guy. He needs to find a cure.


End file.
